Tire vulcanizer and method for assembling tire vulcanizer

ABSTRACT

A tire vulcanizer is disclosed including a sector arranged with respect to a side plate with a high degree of positioning accuracy. The tire vulcanizer includes: the sector that shapes a tread of a tire; a segment to which the sector is fixed and causes the sector to move in a tire radial direction; a bolt that fixes the sector to the segment; a ring-shaped jacket ring provided on an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment; paired upper and lower side plates that shape sidewalls of the tire; and mold parting surfaces defined by the sector and the paired upper and lower side plates. Mold inner ends of the mold parting surfaces are arranged on the tread, and the mold parting surfaces extend outward in the tire radial direction from the mold inner ends.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tire vulcanizer and a method for assembling the tire vulcanizer.

2. Description of the Related Art

A tire is manufactured by building an unvulcanized green tire and vulcanizing and shaping the green tire in a specified shape by using a tire vulcanizer.

The tire vulcanizer that includes: a vulcanizing mold that shapes the green tire in the specified shape; and a drive mechanism that drives the vulcanizing mold and is referred to as a container has been known. The vulcanizing mold that includes: a sector that shapes a tread of the tire; and paired upper and lower side plates that shape sidewalls of the tire has been known.

In this tire vulcanizer, the green tire is set onto the lower sideplate in a mold open state where the upper sideplate and the sector are separated from the lower side plate. Thereafter, the drive mechanism lowers the upper side plate and causes the sector to move inward in a tire radial direction. In this way, the upper side plate and the sector come close to the lower side plate, and the vulcanizing mold is brought into a mold closed state. Here, the sector is divided into plural pieces in a circumferential direction. The pieces of the sector are radially separated in the mold open state, and gather to have a ring shape in the mold closed state.

A pattern having various projected and recessed shapes is provided on an outer surface of each of the tread and the sidewalls. In recent years, in order to improve the tire design, there is a case where the projected and recessed shapes are continuously provided from the tread to each of the sidewalls. In the case where such a pattern is provided and where mold inner ends (a parting line) of mold parting surfaces that are defined by the sector and each of the side plates are arranged on a shoulder, rubber that spills out of the mold parting surfaces possibly remains in a conspicuous portion in external appearance, or the projected and recessed shapes, which continue from the tread to each of the sidewalls, possibly deviate in the circumferential direction in the conspicuous portion.

To handle such a problem, it has conventionally been proposed that the mold parting surfaces defined by the sector and each of the side plates are configured as surfaces that are parallel with the tire radial direction or surfaces that are obliquely inclined with respect to the tire radial direction and that the mold inner ends of the mold parting surfaces are arranged on the tread.

Patent Document: JP-A-2001-96538

However, a problem as described below occurs in the tire vulcanizer that is opened/closed by moving the sector in the tire radial direction in the case where the mold parting surfaces defined by the sector and each of the side plates are configured as the surfaces that are parallel with the tire radial direction or the surfaces that are obliquely inclined with respect to the tire radial direction. In the tire vulcanizer in which the mold parting surfaces are configured as the surfaces that are parallel with the tire radial direction, in the case where a distance between the mold parting surfaces of the sector and each of the side plates is short, the sector and each of the side plates rub against each other to cause wear when the sector moves in the radial direction. Meanwhile, in the case where the distance between the mold parting surfaces of the sector and each of the side plates is long, the rubber is likely to spill out of the mold parting surfaces during vulcanization molding, which leads to shaping failure of a spill. That is, in order to prevent the rubber spill while suppressing the sector and each of the side plates from rubbing against each other to cause the wear, a high degree of accuracy is demanded for a position of the sector with respect to each of the side plates.

In addition, the tire vulcanizer, in which the mold parting surfaces are configured as the surfaces that are obliquely inclined with respect to the tire radial direction, is brought into a taper-fitted state during closing of the mold. In the taper-fitted state, the sector and each of the side plates come into contact with each other on the inclined surfaces. Accordingly, also in such a tire vulcanizer, in order to bring the mold parting surfaces into tight contact with each other while suppressing the sector and each of the side plates from rubbing against each other to cause the wear resulted from the movement of the sector in the tire radial direction, the high degree of the accuracy is demanded for the position of the sector with respect to each of the side plates.

The sector is divided into the plural pieces in the circumferential direction and is connected to the mechanism that causes movement of the sector in a vertical direction and the tire radial direction. Thus, it is not easy to manage an attachment position of each member constituting the tire vulcanizer such that all of the sectors are arranged at desired positions during closing of the mold. As a result, the positions of the sectors with respect to each of the side plates are likely to deviate from each other.

The present invention has been made in view of the above point and therefore has a purpose of providing a tire vulcanizer and a method for assembling the tire vulcanizer capable of adjusting positions of sectors such that all of the sectors are arranged at desired positions during closing of a mold and capable of arranging the sectors with respect to side plates with a high degree of positioning accuracy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A tire vulcanizer according to the present invention is a tire vulcanizer that shapes and vulcanizes a tire, and includes: a sector that shapes a tread of the tire and is divided in a tire circumferential direction; a segment, to which the sector is fixed, and which causes the sector to move in a tire radial direction; a bolt that is inserted in a bolt hole from an outer side in the tire radial direction so as to fix the sector to the segment, the bolt hole penetrating the segment in the tire radial direction; a ring-shaped jacket ring that is provided on an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment; paired upper and lower side plates that shape sidewalls of the tire; and mold parting surfaces that are defined by the sector and the paired upper and lower side plates. Mold inner ends of the mold parting surfaces are arranged on the tread, and the mold parting surfaces extend outward in the tire radial direction from the mold inner ends. The segment is provided such that a fixing position of the sector can be adjusted in a vertical direction. The jacket ring has: a through hole that penetrates the jacket ring in the tire radial direction; and a tapered surface as an inner circumferential surface that extends outward in the tire radial direction as advancing downward. When the jacket ring moves downward with respect to the segment so as to cover an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment, the segment moves inward in the tire radial direction, the adjacent sectors in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other, and the through hole communicate with the bolt hole.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, the mold parting surfaces may be provided in parallel with the tire radial direction. In another preferred aspect of the present invention, the tire vulcanizer may include a sealing member that closes the through hole.

In yet another preferred aspect of the present invention, the tire vulcanizer may include paired upper and lower attachment plates that are respectively fixed to the paired upper and lower side plates and support the segment in a manner to allow sliding of the segment. The segment may include paired upper and lower sliding surfaces that respectively slide on the paired upper and lower attachment plates. The paired upper and lower sliding surfaces may be inclined such that outer sides in the tire radial direction thereof are directed toward a central portion in a tire width direction. When the segment causes the sector to move outward in the tire radial direction, the paired upper and lower sliding surfaces may respectively slide on the paired upper and lower attachment plates, and a distance between the mold parting surfaces may be increased. In this case, an angle of each of the paired upper and lower sliding surfaces with respect to the tire radial direction is preferably equal to or larger than 5° and equal to or smaller than 10°. Also, in this case, the paired upper and lower sliding surfaces are preferably flat surfaces.

A method for assembling a tire vulcanizer according to the present invention is a method for assembling a tire vulcanizer that includes: a sector that shapes a tread of the tire and is divided in a tire circumferential direction; a segment, to which the sector is fixed, and which causes the sector to move in a tire radial direction; a bolt that is inserted in a bolt hole from an outer side in the tire radial direction so as to fix the sector to the segment, the bolt hole penetrating the segment in the tire radial direction; a ring-shaped jacket ring that is provided on an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment; paired upper and lower side plates that shape sidewalls of the tire; paired upper and lower attachment plates that are respectively fixed to the paired upper and lower side plates and support the segment in a manner to allow sliding of the segment; and mold parting surfaces that are defined by the sector and the paired upper and lower side plates, in which mold inner ends of the mold parting surfaces are arranged on the tread, and the mold parting surfaces extending outward in the tire radial direction from the mold inner ends, in which the segment is provided such that a fixing position of the sector can be adjusted in a vertical direction, and in which the jacket ring has: a through hole that penetrates the jacket ring in the tire radial direction; and a tapered surface as an inner circumferential surface that extends outward in the tire radial direction as advancing downward, and moves downward with respect to the segment to cover an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment, so as to make the segment move inward in the tire radial direction, to make the adjacent sectors in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other, and to make the through hole communicate with the bolt hole. The method for assembling a tire vulcanizer includes: temporarily fixing the sector to the segment by the bolt; supporting the segment, to which the sector is temporarily fixed, on paired upper and lower attachment plates that are respectively fixed to the paired upper and lower side plates; and adjusting a vertical position of the sector with respect to the segment in a state where the jacket ring covers an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment and makes the adjacent sectors in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other, and screwing the bolt to fix the sector to the segment.

In the tire vulcanizer according to the present invention, in a mold closed state where the adjacent sectors in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other, the bolt can be screwed to fix the sector to the segment after the distance between the mold parting surfaces defined by the sector and the side plate is adjusted. Accordingly, the positions of the sectors can be adjusted such that all the sectors are located at the desired positions when the mold is closed. Therefore, the sectors can be arranged with respect to the side plates with a high degree of positioning accuracy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a half cross-sectional view of a state during vulcanization molding by a tire vulcanizer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a half cross-sectional view of a stage at which a diameter of a sector in the tire vulcanizer is increased.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main section in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is another enlarged view of the main section in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a half cross-sectional view of a stage at which an increase in the diameter of the sector in the tire vulcanizer is completed.

FIG. 6 is a half cross-sectional view of a stage at which the sector in the tire vulcanizer is lifted.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a state where the plural sectors are fixed to a holding jig.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a state where the sectors are temporarily fixed to a segment.

FIG. 9 is a half cross-sectional view of the tire vulcanizer during an assembly and depicts a state where an upper attachment plate and a lower attachment plate support the segment, to which the sector is temporarily fixed.

FIG. 10 is a half cross-sectional view of the tire vulcanizer during the assembly and depicts a state where a through hole of a jacket ring communicates with a bolt hole of the segment.

FIG. 11 is a half cross-sectional view of a tire vulcanizer according to a modified embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A description will hereinafter be made on embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

As depicted in FIG. 1, a tire vulcanizer includes: a vulcanizing mold 10; a container 20 to which the vulcanizing mold 10 is attached; first lifting/lowering means 50 and second lifting/lowering means 51 that lift/lower the vulcanizing mold 10 and the container 20; and a bladder 60. In the tire vulcanizer, an unvulcanized green tire is set such that a tire axial direction (a tire width direction) is vertically arranged. Then, the tire vulcanizer vulcanizes and shapes the unvulcanized green tire in a specified shape by heating and pressurization.

The vulcanizing mold 10 is a shaping mold that includes: an upper and lower pair of an upper side plate 11 and a lower side plate 12; plural sectors 13 that are divided in a circumferential direction; and an upper and lower pair of bead rings 14, 15, and that shapes an outer surface (a design surface) of a tire T.

As a material of the vulcanizing mold 10, a metallic material such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or iron can be selected. However, iron is preferably selected due to low thermal expansion at a vulcanizing temperature. All of the paired upper and lower side plates 11, 12, the plural sectors 13, and the paired upper and lower bead rings 14, 15, which constitute the vulcanizing mold 10, are preferably made of iron so that a distance between mold parting surfaces generated in the vulcanizing mold 10 can easily be set to a desired distance at the vulcanizing temperature.

The sector 13 is a mold that shapes a tread 1 of the tire T. The sector 13 is divided into plural units (for example, nine units) in a tire circumferential direction, and the plural units are provided such that each thereof can be displaced in a manner to increase/reduce a diameter in a tire radiation direction (a tire radial direction). In a mold closed state where each of the sectors 13 is arranged at a mold closed position, the adjacent sectors 13 in the tire circumferential direction gather to have a ring shape.

The upper side plate 11 is a mold that shapes a sidewall 2 and a bead 3 arranged in an upper portion of the tire T. The lower side plate 12 is a mold that shapes the sidewall 2 and the bead 3 arranged in a lower portion of the tire T. The bead rings 14, 15 are provided on inner sides in the tire radial direction of the upper and lower pair of the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12. The bead rings 14, 15 are configured such that the beads 3 of the tire T can be fitted thereto.

The vulcanizing mold 10 is provided with the mold parting surfaces, on each of which the mold is divided in the tire width direction, that is, mold parting surfaces 16 defined by the sector 13 and the upper side plate 11 and mold parting surfaces 17 defined by the sector 13 and the lower side plate 12. The mold parting surfaces 16, 17, which are defined by the sector 13 and the upper and lower pair of the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12, are provided in parallel with the tire radial direction that is a moving direction of the sector 13. In the mold parting surfaces 16, 17, mold inner ends 16 a, 17 a referred to as parting lines are located on the tread 1 of the tire T.

The sector 13 includes an upper flange section 13 a and a lower flange section 13 b. The upper flange section 13 a is projected upward from the mold parting surface 16 defined between the sector 13 and the upper side plate 11. The lower flange section 13 b is projected downward from the mold parting surface 17 defined between the sector 13 and the lower side plate 12. In the mold closed state where the adjacent sectors 13 in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other, the upper flange section 13 a abuts an end surface 11 b on an outer side in the tire radial direction that is provided in the upper side plate 11, and the lower flange section 13 b abuts an end surface 12 b on the outer side in the tire radial direction that is provided in the lower side plate 12.

Projected positions of the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b on the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 are preferably set such that, before the upper and lower pair of the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b come into contact with the upper and lower pair of the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12, the adjacent sectors 13 in the tire circumferential direction come into contact with each other, and thereafter the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b respectively come into contact with the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12.

As an example, the projected positions of the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b can be set such that each of a distance between the upper flange section 13 a and the upper side plate 11 and a distance between the lower flange section 13 b and the lower side plate 12 is 0.03 mm to 0.2 mm when the adjacent sectors 13 in the tire circumferential direction come into contact with each other.

Either one of the upper flange section 13 a and the end surface 11 b of the upper side plate 11, which opposes the upper flange section 13 a in the tire radial direction, (in this example, the upper flange section 13 a) is provided with a first projection pin 18 that is projected toward the other (in this example, the end surface 11 b of the upper side plate 11), and the other is provided with a first recessed section 19 into which the first projection pin 18 is fitted in the mold closed state of the tire vulcanizer.

Similarly, either one of the lower flange section 13 b and the end surface 12 b of the lower sideplate 12, which opposes the lower flange section 13 b in the tire radial direction, (in this example, the lower flange section 13 b) is provided with the first projection pin 18 that is projected toward the other (in this example, the end surface 12 b of the lower side plate 12), and the other is provided with the first recessed section 19 into which the first projection pin 18 is fitted in the mold closed state of the tire vulcanizer.

The at least one first projection pin 18, which is provided in each of the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b, is provided for each of the plural sectors 13. In this example, the first projection pin 18 is provided in a central portion in the tire circumferential direction of each of the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b.

The first projection pins 18 are fitted into the first recessed sections 19 when the vulcanizing mold 10 is closed. In this way, each of the first recessed sections 19 adjusts a relative position in the tire circumferential direction between the sector 13 and corresponding one of the upper and lower pair of the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12, and thereby positions the sector 13.

The first projection pin 18 may be provided on each of the end surface 11 b of the upper side plate 11 and the end surface 12 b of the lower side plate 12, and the first recessed section 19 may be provided in each of the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b.

The sector 13 is provided with a bolt hole 16 b for fixing a holding jig 70, which will be described later, to the mold parting surfaces 16 defined between the sector 13 and the upper side plate 11 (see FIG. 7).

In the vulcanizing mold 10, a main groove shaping rib (not depicted) and a lateral groove shaping rib 13 c are provided in the sector 13. The main groove shaping rib is a rib for shaping a main groove that extends in the tire circumferential direction in the tread 1. The lateral groove shaping rib 13 c is a rib for shaping a lateral groove 4 that extends in the tire width direction in the tread 1. In the vulcanizing mold 10, recessed section shaping ribs 11 a, 12 a are respectively provided on the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12. Each of the recessed section shaping ribs 11 a, 12 a is a rib for shaping a recessed section 5 in the sidewall 2 in a continuous manner with the lateral groove 4 in the tread 1.

In such a vulcanizing mold 10, a vent hole, which is not depicted and is opened to the inside of the mold, is provided in each of the sector 13 and the upper and lower pair of the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12. Each of the vent holes is connected to a suction unit such as a vacuum pump via an air release tube. The suction unit releases air in the mold from the vent hole during vulcanization molding. In this way, accumulation of the air, which possibly results in a hole in rubber, is prevented.

The container 20 includes: plural segments 21, each of which holds the sector 13; a jacket ring 22 that causes the segments 21 to move in the tire radial direction; an upper attachment plate 23 that supports the upper side plate 11 and the upper bead ring 14 and is arranged on an upper side of the segments 21; and a lower attachment plate 24 that supports the lower side plate 12 and the lower bead ring 15 and is arranged on a lower side of the segments 21.

On an outer side of the sector 13 in the tire radial direction, the segment 21 is provided for each of the divided sectors 13 (see FIG. 8). On an inner side of the segment 21 in the tire radial direction, an attachment surface 21 a is provided to come into surface contact with the outer side of the sector 13 in the tire radial direction. The attachment surface 21 a is a vertical surface that is perpendicular to a horizontal direction, and the sector 13 moves along the attachment surface 21 a. In this way, an attachment position of the sector 13 can be changed in the vertical direction.

The segment 21 is provided with a bolt hole 25 that penetrates the segment 21 in the tire radial direction. The sector 13 is fixed to the attachment surface 21 a of the segment 21 by a bolt 26 that is inserted in the bolt hole 25 from the outer side in the tire radial direction. A vertical length of the bolt hole 25, which is provided in the segment 21, is set to be longer than a diameter of a shaft portion of the bolt 26 by a specified length. In this way, even in the case where the attachment position of the sector 13 deviates in the vertical direction with respect to the attachment surface 21 a, the sector 13 is fixed by the bolt 26.

On an upper surface of the segment 21, an upper sliding surface 27 is inclined such that an outer side in the tire radial direction thereof is directed toward a central portion (that is, downward) in the tire width direction. The upper sliding surface 27 slides on an upper slide 28 that is provided in the upper attachment plate 23.

On a lower surface of the segment 21, a lower sliding surface 29 is inclined such that an outer side in the tire radial direction thereof is directed toward the central portion (that is, upward) in the tire width direction. The lower sliding surface 29 slides on a lower slide 30 that is provided in the lower attachment plate 24.

An inclination angle of each of the upper sliding surface 27 and the lower sliding surface 29 provided in the segment 21 is not particularly limited but is preferably equal to or larger than 5° and equal to or smaller than 10° with respect to the tire radial direction. In addition, the upper sliding surface 27 and the lower sliding surface 29 provided in the segment 21 are preferably flat surfaces that are not bent, and respectively slide on the upper slide 28 and the lower slide 30 in surface contact states.

Furthermore, in the segment 21, a lateral surface on an opposite side (the outer side in the tire radial direction) from a lateral surface to which the sector 13 is attached is an inclined surface 31 that is inclined outward in the tire radial direction as advancing downward.

The jacket ring 22 is a ring-shaped member that is provided on a radially outer side of the plural segments 21. The jacket ring 22 is provided with through holes 36, each of which corresponds to the bolt hole 25 provided in the segment 21 and penetrates the jacket ring 22 in the tire radial direction. Each of the through holes 36 is closed in an airtight state by a sealing member 37 that is attachable/detachable to/from the jacket ring 22.

An inner circumferential surface of the jacket ring 22 is a tapered surface 22 a that is inclined along the inclined surface 31 provided on the outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment 21. The tapered surface 22 a provided in the jacket ring 22 is slidably coupled to the inclined surface 31 of the segment 21. In a state of being separated upward from the lower attachment plate 24, the jacket ring 22 supports the segment 21 (see FIG. 6). In addition, as depicted in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, in a state where the segment 21 is placed on the lower slide 30 of the lower attachment plate 24, the jacket ring 22 is lifted or lowered relative to the segment 21. In this way, while sliding on the inclined surface 31 provided in the segment 21, the jacket ring 22 causes the segment 21 to move in the tire radial direction. As a result, the sector 13, which is held by the segment 21, is configured to allow displacement thereof in the manner increase/reduce a diameter in the tire radial direction.

When the jacket ring 22 is lowered to a position of covering the entire outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment 21, the tire vulcanizer is brought into the mold closed state where the adjacent sectors 13 in the circumferential direction tightly contact each other. In this state, each of the through holes 36 provided in the jacket ring 22 communicates with the bolt hole 25 provided in the segment 21. In this way, in the mold closed state of the tire vulcanizer, the bolt 26, which fixes the sector 13 to the segment 21, can be attached/detached.

The upper side plate 11 and the upper slide 28 are fixed to a lower surface of the upper attachment plate 23 by a bolt, which is not depicted.

Either one of the upper side plate 11 and the upper attachment plate 23 (in this example, the upper attachment plate 23) is provided with a second projection pin 32 that has a tapered shape and is projected toward the other (in this example, the upper side plate 11), and the other is provided with a second recessed section 33 into which the second projection pin 32 is fitted. The second recessed section 33 has a conical shape that corresponds to the shape of the second projection pin 32 and is narrowed toward a bottom. When the second projection pin 32 is fitted into the second recessed section 33, a relative position between the upper side plate 11 and the upper attachment plate 23 is adjusted, and the upper side plate 11 is thereby positioned. The second projection pin 32 may be provided in the upper side plate 11, and the second recessed section 33 may be provided in the upper attachment plate 23.

The upper slide 28 is arranged at a position that is on the outer side in the tire radial direction of the upper side plate 11 and that opposes the upper sliding surface 27, which is provided on the upper surface of the segment 21. The segment 21 is coupled to the upper slide 28 in a slidable manner in the tire radial direction. As depicted in FIG. 6, the upper slide 28 supports the segment 21 in the state of being separated upward from the lower attachment plate 24, and guides the movement of the segment 21 during the movement of the segment 21 in the tire radial direction.

The lower side plate 12 and the lower slide 30 are fixed to an upper surface of the lower attachment plate 24 by a bolt, which is not depicted.

Either one of the lower side plate 12 and the lower attachment plate 24 (in this example, the lower attachment plate 24) is provided with a second projection pin 34 that has a tapered shape and is projected toward the other (in this example, the lower side plate 12), and the other is provided with a second recessed section 35 into which the second projection pin 34 is fitted. The second recessed section 35 has a conical shape that corresponds to the shape of the second projection pin 34 and is narrowed toward a bottom. When the second projection pin 34 is fitted into the second recessed section 35, a relative position between the lower side plate 12 and the lower attachment plate 24 is adjusted, and the lower side plate 12 is thereby positioned. The second projection pin 34 maybe provided in the lower sideplate 12, and the second recessed section 35 may be provided in the lower attachment plate 24.

The lower slide 30 is arranged at a position that is on the outer side in the tire radial direction of the lower side plate 12 and that opposes the lower sliding surface 29, which is provided on the lower surface of the segment 21. The lower slide 30 supports the segment 21 in a manner to allow sliding thereof in the tire radial direction, and guides the movement of the segment 21 during the movement of the segment 21 in the tire radial direction.

A heater, which is not depicted, is provided in the lower attachment plate 24, the jacket ring 22, and the like. The heater is configured to include a heating medium and a pipe through which the heating medium flows, and heats the entire vulcanizing mold 10.

The first lifting/lowering means 50 lifts/lowers the upper attachment plate 23 relative to the lower attachment plate 24. The second lifting/lowering means 51 lifts/lowers the jacket ring 22 separately from the segment 21 supported by the upper attachment plate 23.

The bladder 60 is formed of an expandable or contractable rubber resilient body in a toroidal shape in which a central portion in the axial direction is swollen outward. The bladder 60 is arranged on an inner surface side of the green tire, is inflated when being supplied with pressurized gas (for example, steam or nitrogen gas), and pressurizes the green tire from the inner side. An upper end and a lower end as both ends of the bladder 60 in the axial direction are supported by an extension/contraction support section 61. The bladder 60 is configured to supply/discharge the pressurized gas to/from the inside via a fluid port, which is not depicted. The extension/contraction support section 61 is a member that supports the bladder 60 in a manner to allow extension/contraction of a distance between the upper end and the lower end of the bladder 60. The extension/contraction support section 61 includes: an upper cramp ring 62 that fixes the upper end of the bladder 60; a lower cramp ring 63 that fixes the lower end of the bladder 60; and an extendable/contractable shaft section 64 that can be extended/contracted.

Next, a description will be made on a method for assembling the tire vulcanizer by attaching the vulcanizing mold 10 to the container 20.

Initially, as depicted in FIG. 7, the plural sectors 13 are aligned in the circumferential direction such that a mold surface shaping the tread 1 of the tire T faces inward. In this embodiment, the lower flange section 13 b, which is projected downward from the mold parting surface 17 constituting the lower surface of the sector 13, is provided. Thus, the sector 13 cannot stand upright by itself. In such a case, as depicted in FIG. 7, the plural sectors 13, which are aligned in the circumferential direction, are fixed to the ring-shaped holding jig 70 by bolts 71 so as to maintain this state.

Next, the jacket ring 22, to which the segments 21 are attached, is lowered from the upper side of the plural sectors 13, which are aligned in the circumferential direction. Then, the segment 21 is arranged on the outer side in the tire radial direction of each of the sectors 13. Thereafter, as depicted in FIG. 8, the bolt 26 is inserted in the bolt hole 25 provided in the inclined surface 31 of each of the segments 21 so as to temporarily fix each of the sectors 13 to the respective segment 21. The holding jig 70, which is attached to the sector 13, is detached. In FIG. 8, the jacket ring 22 is not depicted.

Next, the segment 21, to which the sector 13 is temporarily fixed, is coupled to the upper slide 28, which is provided on the upper attachment plate 23, in the slidable manner in the tire radial direction. In addition, the segment 21, to which the sector 13 is temporarily fixed, is lowered from the upper side of the lower attachment plate 24, to which the lower side plate 12 and the lower slide 30 are fixed. The lower sliding surface 29 of the segment 21 is placed on the lower slide 30, and the segment 21 is thereby supported by the lower slide 30. Note that, immediately after the lower sliding surface 29 of the segment 21 is placed on the lower slide 30, as depicted in FIG. 9, the segment 21 is located at a lower end of the jacket ring 22 due to own weight. Thus, the sector 13, which is fixed to the segment 21, is located away from the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12 in the tire radial direction.

Next, as depicted in FIG. 10, the jacket ring 22 is lowered to the position of covering the entire outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment 21 and causes the segment 21 to move inward in the tire radial direction until the tire vulcanizer is brought into the mold closed state (until the adjacent sectors 13 in the circumferential direction tightly contact each other).

Next, in the mold closed state, the bolt 26, which fixes the sector 13 to the segment 21, is loosened from the through hole 36 provided in the jacket ring 22. Thereafter, the vertical attachment position of the sector 13 with respect to the segment 21 is adjusted such that the sector 13 comes into contact with the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12.

When the adjustment of the vertical attachment position of the sector 13 with respect to the segment 21 is completed, the bolt 26 is screwed again from the through hole 36 so as to fix the sector 13 to the segment 21. Then, the sealing member 37 is attached to the through hole 36, and the assembly of the tire vulcanizer is completed.

In this embodiment, the description has been made on the case where the sector 13 moves inward in the tire radial direction until the tire vulcanizer is brought into the mold closed state, and the bolt 26 is then loosened to adjust the vertical attachment position of the sector 13. However, the vertical attachment position may be regulated by the following method.

For example, when the sector 13 is temporarily fixed to the segment 21 by the bolt 26, the sector 13 can move in the vertical direction by receiving an external force. At this time, the segment 13 is fixed to the segment 21 with such intensity of a fastening force that prevents detachment of the sector 13 from the segment 21 and rattling of the sector 13. Thereafter, the jacket ring 22 is lowered to the position of covering the entire outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment 21 and causes the segment 21 to move inward in the tire radial direction until the tire vulcanizer is brought into the mold closed state. At the time, the sector 13 is fixed to the segment 21 such that the sector 13 can move in the vertical direction by receiving the external force. Thus, the sector 13 is pressed in the vertical direction by the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12 and is arranged at a position where the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 of the sector 13 respectively contact the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12. Then, in this state, the bolt 26 is further screwed from the through hole 36 provided in the jacket ring 22. In this way, the sector 13 may be fixed to the segment 21.

Alternatively, the bolt 26 is loosened immediately after the tire vulcanizer is brought into the mold closed state. Then, the vertical position of the sector 13 is adjusted such that each of the distance between the sector 13 and the mold parting surface 16 of the upper side plate 11 and a distance between the sector 13 and the mold parting surface 17 of the lower sideplate 12 falls within a specified range. Thereafter, the bolt 26 may be screwed to fix the sector 13 to the segment 21.

The green tire is vulcanized and shaped by using the tire vulcanizer having the configuration that has been described so far. In this way, a pneumatic tire is manufactured.

In detail, the green tire that has been built by a known method is set in the vulcanizing mold 10 of the tire vulcanizer in the mold open state. After the bladder 60 is attached to the inner surface side of the green tire, the vulcanizing mold 10 is brought into the mold closed state as depicted in FIG. 1.

In order to shift the vulcanizing mold 10 from the mold open state to the mold closed state, the first lifting/lowering means 50 lowers the upper side plate 11, which is provided on the upper attachment plate 23, and the segment 21, and the second lifting/lowering means 51 lowers the jacket ring 22 and the segment 21 attached thereto.

A speed at which the first lifting/lowering means 50 lowers the upper side plate 11 and the segment 21 is set to be equal to a speed at which the second lifting/lowering means 51 lowers the jacket ring 22 and the segment 21. Accordingly, the segments 21 and the sectors 13 do not move in the tire radial direction. The upper side plate 11, the sectors 13, the segments 21, and the jacket ring 22 move downward and come close to the lower side plate 12, which is provided on the lower attachment plate 24.

Then, when the lower sliding surface 29 of the segment 21 is placed on the lower slide 30 of the lower attachment plate 24, the second lifting/lowering means 51 further lowers the jacket ring 22. In this way, the lower sliding surface 29 slides on the lower slide 30 of the lower attachment plate 24, the upper sliding surface 27 slides on the upper slide 28 of the upper attachment plate 23, and the segment 21 thereby moves inward in the tire radial direction. The upper sliding surface 27 and the lower sliding surface 29 provided in the segment 21 are inclined such that the outer sides in the tire radial direction thereof are directed toward the central portion in the tire width direction. Accordingly, when the sector 13 moves inward in the tire radial direction with the segment 21, the upper side plate 11 is lowered by the inclination of the upper sliding surface 27, and the segment 21 and the sector 13 are lowered by the inclination of the lower sliding surface 29. That is, in conjunction with the inward movement of the segment 21 and the sector 13 in the tire radial direction, the distance between the mold parting surfaces 16 defined by the sector 13 and the upper side plate 11 is gradually reduced, and the distance between the mold parting surfaces 17 defined by the sector 13 and the lower side plate 12 is gradually reduced.

Then, the segment 21 and the sector 13 move inward in the tire radial direction by a specified amount. At this time, the adjacent sectors 13 in the tire circumferential direction come into contact with each other before the upper and lower pair of the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b comes into contact with the upper and lower pair of the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12.

After the adjacent sectors 13 in the tire circumferential direction contact each other, the sectors 13 further move inward in the tire radial direction and reach the mold closed positions where the adjacent sectors 13 in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other. When each of the sectors 13 reaches the mold closed position, the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b respectively contact the upper sideplate 11 and the lower side plate 12. In this way, the further inward movement of the sector 13 in the tire radial direction is restricted, and the sector 13 no longer moves inward in the tire radial direction from the mold closed position (the position where the adjacent sectors 13 in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other).

In addition, the vertical position of the sector 13 is adjusted during the assembly of the tire vulcanizer. Accordingly, in a state where the sector 13 has reached the mold closed position, the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 defined by the sector 13, the upper side plate 11, and the lower side plate 12 tightly contact each other, and the vulcanizing mold 10 is brought into the mold closed state as depicted in FIG. 1.

Note that, when the sector 13 moves inward in the tire radial direction to the mold closed position as described above, the first projection pins 18 provided in the upper flange section 13 a and the lower flange section 13 b are fitted into the first recessed sections 19 provided in the end surface 11 b of the upper side plate 11 and the end surface 12 b of the lower side plate 12, and thereby position the sector 13 in the tire circumferential direction with respect to the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12.

After the vulcanizing mold 10 is closed as described above, the bladder 60 is supplied with the pressurizing gas and is inflated. In this way, the green tire is pressurized and heated between the vulcanizing mold 10 and the bladder 60, and such a state is maintained for a specified period. As a result, the tire T is vulcanized and shaped.

After the green tire is vulcanized, the vulcanizing mold 10 is brought into the mold open state, and a taking-out process to take out the vulcanized tire T from the tire vulcanizer is performed.

In order to shift the vulcanizing mold 10 from the mold closed state to the mold open state, initially, the second lifting/lowering means 51 lifts the jacket ring 22 and causes the sector 13, which is held by the segment 21, to move outward in the tire radial direction. In this way, the diameter of the sector 13 is increased. At this time, the first lifting/lowering means 50 is stopped. However, when the upper attachment plate 23 and the lower attachment plate 24 are applied with the external force in the vertical direction, the upper attachment plate 23 moves upward by such an external force.

As described above, in the tire vulcanizer of this embodiment, the upper sliding surface 27 and the lower sliding surface 29 provided in the segment 21 are inclined such that the outer sides in the tire radial direction thereof are directed toward the central portion in the tire width direction. Accordingly, when the segment 21 moves outward in the tire radial direction as depicted in FIG. 2, the upper sliding surface 27 slides outward in the tire radial direction on the upper slide 28 of the upper attachment plate 23 while pressing the upper attachment plate 23 upward, and the lower sliding surface 29 slides outward in the tire radial direction on the lower slide 30 of the lower attachment plate 24 while pressing the lower attachment plate 24 downward.

The upper attachment plate 23, which is pressed upward by the upper sliding surface 27, moves upward with respect to the segment 21. Accordingly, when the segment 21 starts moving radially outward, as depicted in FIG. 3, the upper side plate 11, which is fixed to the upper attachment plate 23, also moves upward with respect to the segment 21, and the distance between the mold parting surfaces 16 defined by the sector 13 and the upper side plate 11 is increased.

In addition, the lower attachment plate 24, which is pressed downward by the lower sliding surface 29, moves downward with respect to the segment 21. Accordingly, when the segment 21 starts moving radially outward, as depicted in FIG. 4, the lower side plate 12, which is fixed to the lower attachment plate 24, also moves downward with respect to the segment 21, and the distance between the mold parting surfaces 17 defined by the sector 13 and the lower side plate 12 is increased. Note that, in the case where the lower attachment plate 24 is fixed and where the segment 21 starts moving radially outward, the segment 21 moves upward, and the distance between the mold parting surfaces 17 defined by the sector 13 and the lower side plate 12 is increased.

Then, after the increase in the diameter of the sector is completed as depicted in FIG. 5, the first lifting/lowering means 50 is lifted. In this way, as depicted in FIG. 6, the upper side plate 11, which is provided on the upper attachment plate 23, and the sector 13 are lifted. That is, the upper side plate 11 and the sector 13 are separated from the lower side plate 12, and a mold opening operation of the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12 is thereby performed. Thereafter, the vulcanized tire T is taken out from the tire vulcanizer in the mold open state. Note that, while the upper sideplate 11 and the sector 13 move upward, the jacket ring 22 is lifted in a synchronized manner with the upper side plate 11 by the second lifting/lowering means 51, so as to maintain the increased diameter state of the sector 13.

In the tire vulcanizer of this embodiment, the attachment position of the sector 13 to the segment 21 can be changed in the vertical direction. In addition, in the mold closed state where the adjacent sectors 13 in the circumferential direction tightly contact each other, the through hole 36 provided in the jacket ring 22 communicates with the bolt hole 25 provided in the segment 21, and the bolt 26 can thereby be screwed/unscrewed. Thus, the vertical attachment position of the sector 13 with respect to the segment 21 can easily be adjusted such that each of the distances between the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 defined by the sector 13, the upper and lower pair of the upper side plate 11 and the lower side plate 12 becomes the desired distance.

In this embodiment, the through hole 36 provided in the jacket ring 22 is closed in the airtight state by the sealing member 37. Thus, the internal pressure of the mold is easily reduced by the suction unit during vulcanization molding, and the accumulation of the air, which possibly results in the hole in the rubber, is less likely to occur.

In the tire vulcanizer of this embodiment, the upper sliding surface 27 and the lower sliding surface 29, which respectively slide on the upper attachment plate 23 and the lower attachment plate 24, are inclined such that the outer sides in the tire radial direction thereof are directed toward the central portion in the tire width direction. Accordingly, when the segment 21 moves inward in the tire radial direction, the distances between the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 are gradually reduced. Meanwhile, when the segment 21 moves outward in the tire radial direction, the distances between the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 are gradually increased. That is, when the sector 13 is located at the mold closed position, the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 defined by the sector 13, the upper side plate 11, and the lower side plate 12 tightly contact each other. Meanwhile, when the sector 13 is located outward in the tire radial direction from the mold closed position, clearances are generated between the mold parting surfaces 16, 17. Accordingly, even when the tire vulcanizer is repeatedly opened/closed, the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 do not rub against each other. Therefore, durability of the tire vulcanizer can be improved.

In addition, immediately after the segment 21 starts moving radially outward, the upper side plate 11 moves with the upper attachment plate 23 in a direction away from the tire T that has been vulcanized and shaped. Thus, the tire T can easily be taken out from the vulcanizing mold 10.

In the tire vulcanizer of this embodiment, in the case where the upper sliding surface 27 and the lower sliding surface 29 provided in the segment 21 are the flat surfaces that slide on the upper slide 28 and the lower slide 30 in the surface contact states, the segment 21 can move with a high degree of positioning accuracy without rattling, and thus displacement of the sector 13 in the mold closed state can be suppressed.

Modified Embodiment

A description will be made on a modified embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 11. Note that the same components as those in the above embodiment will be denoted by the same reference signs, and the detailed description thereon will not made.

In the above embodiment, the description has been made on the case where the mold parting surfaces 16, 17 defined by the sector 13, the upper side plate 11, and the lower side plate 12 are parallel with the tire radial direction. However, the present invention is not limited to such a case, and the mold parting surfaces only have to extend outward in the tire radial direction from the mold inner ends thereof arranged on the tread 1 of the tire T.

For example, as depicted in FIG. 11, in a tire vulcanizer of this modified embodiment, mold parting surfaces 160, 170 defined by the sector 13, the upper side plate 11, and the lower side plate 12 are obliquely inclined with respect to the tire radial direction such that inner sides in the tire radial direction thereof (that is, sides of mold inner ends 160 a, 170 a) are directed toward the central portion in the tire width direction.

Also, in such a tire vulcanizer, similar operational effects to those in the above embodiment are exerted. Note that the rest of the configuration of the modified embodiment is the same as the configuration in the above embodiment, and thus the detailed description thereon will not be made.

The embodiments that have been described so far are merely provided as examples and thus have no intention to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in any of various other aspects, and various types of elimination, replacement, and changes can be made thereto within the scope that does not depart from the gist of the invention. 

1. A tire vulcanizer that vulcanizes and shapes a tire, the tire vulcanizer comprising: a sector that shapes a tread of the tire and is divided in a tire circumferential direction; a segment, to which the sector is fixed, and which causes the sector to move in a tire radial direction; a bolt that is inserted in a bolt hole from an outer side in the tire radial direction so as to fix the sector to the segment, the bolt hole penetrating the segment in the tire radial direction; a ring-shaped jacket ring that is provided on an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment; paired upper and lower side plates that shape sidewalls of the tire; and mold parting surfaces that are defined by the sector and the paired upper and lower side plates, wherein mold inner ends of the mold parting surfaces are arranged on the tread, and the mold parting surfaces extend outward in the tire radial direction from the mold inner ends, the segment is provided such that a fixing position of the sector can be adjusted in a vertical direction, and the jacket ring has: a through hole that penetrates the jacket ring in the tire radial direction; and a tapered surface as an inner circumferential surface that extends outward in the tire radial direction as advancing downward, and moves downward with respect to the segment to cover an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment, so as to make the segment move inward in the tire radial direction, to make the adjacent sectors in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other, and to make the through hole communicate with the bolt hole.
 2. The tire vulcanizer according to claim 1, wherein the mold parting surfaces are provided in parallel with the tire radial direction.
 3. The tire vulcanizer according to claim 1 further comprising: a sealing member that closes the through hole.
 4. The tire vulcanizer according to claim 1 further comprising: paired upper and lower attachment plates that are respectively fixed to the paired upper and lower side plates and support the segment in a manner to allow sliding of the segment, wherein the segment includes paired upper and lower sliding surfaces that respectively slide on the paired upper and lower attachment plates, the paired upper and lower sliding surfaces are inclined such that outer sides in the tire radial direction thereof are directed toward a central portion in a tire width direction, and when the segment causes the sector to move outward in the tire radial direction, the paired upper and lower sliding surfaces respectively slide on the paired upper and lower attachment plates, and a distance between the mold parting surfaces is increased.
 5. The tire vulcanizer according to claim 4, wherein an angle of each of the paired upper and lower sliding surfaces with respect to the tire radial direction is equal to or larger than 5° and equal to or smaller than 10°.
 6. The tire vulcanizer according to claim 4, wherein the paired upper and lower sliding surfaces are flat surfaces
 7. A method for assembling a tire vulcanizer that shapes and vulcanizes a tire, the tire vulcanizer including: a sector that shapes a tread of the tire and is divided in a tire circumferential direction; a segment, to which the sector is fixed, and which causes the sector to move in a tire radial direction; a bolt that is inserted in a bolt hole from an outer side in the tire radial direction so as to fix the sector to the segment, the bolt hole penetrating the segment in the tire radial direction; a ring-shaped jacket ring that is provided on an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment; paired upper and lower side plates that shape sidewalls of the tire; paired upper and lower attachment plates that are respectively fixed to the paired upper and lower side plates and support the segment in a manner to allow sliding of the segment; and mold parting surfaces that are defined by the sector and the paired upper and lower side plates, mold inner ends of the mold parting surfaces being arranged on the tread, and the mold parting surfaces extending outward in the tire radial direction from the mold inner ends, the segment being provided such that a fixing position of the sector can be adjusted in a vertical direction, and the jacket ring having: a through hole that penetrates the jacket ring in the tire radial direction; and a tapered surface as an inner circumferential surface that extends outward in the tire radial direction as advancing downward, and moving downward with respect to the segment to cover an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment, so as to make the segment move inward in the tire radial direction, to make the adjacent sectors in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other, and to make the through hole communicate with the bolt hole, the method for assembling a tire vulcanizer comprising: temporarily fixing the sector to the segment by the bolt; supporting the segment, to which the sector is temporarily fixed, on paired upper and lower attachment plates that are respectively fixed to the paired upper and lower side plates; and adjusting a vertical position of the sector with respect to the segment in a state where the jacket ring covers an outer side in the tire radial direction of the segment and makes the adjacent sectors in the tire circumferential direction tightly contact each other, and screwing the bolt to fix the sector to the segment. 